1. Field of the Invention
The commercially available system now in use in the dental community provides a heated water reservoir which is located distant from the dental chair. The system requires several feet of tubing between the heated reservoir and the dental handpiece. One of the problems involved with this system is the long waiting time to flush out the cold water in the system before the heated water once again reaches the dental tool after the dental tool is stopped for even short periods of time. This waiting time increases the anxiety of the patient. The system is bulky and requires special plumbing and storage space for the heated reservoir. Many other systems have been tried but were found to be likewise inefficient and/or too expensive.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,129 to G. E. Wehl on Dec. 5, 1961 shows a coolant heater and control unit which utilizes a sealed tank within a chamber and an electrical rod shaped heater coil to transmit heat to the water via metal fins. The temperature of the water is manually controlled by the user and the unit is too bulky to incorporate into a clinical setting.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,094,779 to G. Boulsover, et al., on Jun. 25, 1963 describes a dental handpiece having a heating chamber attached to the handpiece. The heating chamber is a reservoir type electric heater into which water and air are introduced, warmed and directed out of the chamber to be distributed. There is no temperature sensor provided. Lack of temperature control could lead to discomfort of the patient from the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,318 to W. C. Oaks on Feb. 16, 1965 shows an apparatus for supplying heated fluid to a dental handpiece. Static water in the handpiece is heated to the same temperature as the dynamic water. A water tank and heater with water flow adjustment valve is positioned distant the handpiece to control the water temperature to the handpiece. A separate tubing system keeps static heated water adjacent flowing water. The static water assists in keeping the dynamic water at a more constant temperature. The additional tubing is an inconvenience to an already crowded operatory area and the tubing allows the heat to dissipate rapidly from the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,064 to D. A. Williams on Jan. 15, 1980 shows a water heating means having a sealed air chamber through which a coiled tubing is passed. There is a wire filament heater element within the tubing. Water passes through the tubing and is heated by the element. The temperature sensor senses the temperature of the air outside of the coiled tube and thereby regulates the heat of the element and the water in the tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,452 to G. Lohn on Dec. 12, 1989 describes a dental spray syringe handpiece that supplies heated air and water. The device has on/off, manually operated switches that operate separate heating chambers within an end of the syringe. The device cannot be incorporated to modify an existing syringe and is limited to a newly manufactured syringe designed to accommodate it.